Dark imperium EP1: the return
by menofwarhide
Summary: The black crusade continues it's endless march, in the hopes of finding a lost sibling Guilliman has sent ships across the galaxy and when a black templar ship finds a gate at the edge of the galaxy it appears as if she has been found but can Guilliman convince Alistravia to return and if she does what will it mean for the imperium.


Prologue

The stars of home were behind them and the last star at this end of the galaxy dimmed as the small cruiser edged past it towards the last part of space that could be called the milky way. They had been here for months, told to search beyond a nebula that shone bright with the birth and death of thousands of tiny stars that sent out massive gravity waves distorting space and time making it impossible to pass through so they had to go around the nebula which had taken time, far too much time.

The "Icarus ray" was an old cruiser, it had been decommissioned once but when the black Templars had gone looking for new craft they had found her in a high orbit around a forge world waiting to be scrapped. They took her and refitted her as best they could but her battle prowess was poor with age so she had no place in a direct fight and had been reduced to scouting distant systems or ferrying important passengers.

On this occasion she was scouting far from home, she was at the far edge of the galaxy on orders signed directly by Roboute Guilliman himself, he was looking for something, that something had no picture and no description was given except for a statement saying "you will know it if you see it".

The ship had been about to jump to another system when their auspex had picked it up, just on the edge of their scan range, an object, large and emitting a faint power signal. They had quickly changed course to investigate.

Captain Havel Toram walked onto the bridge with some speed, his black armour with it's white iconography absorbed the lights of the bridge as the crew moved about their duties and mindless servitors repeated preprogramed tasks. A short human officer, the captain of the ship, nodded to him as he came to stand beside her.

"My Lord"

"You found something?" he responded with an understandable bluntness

Havel believed they were wasting their time out here and what ever it was the lord commander was looking for it either never existed or was long gone.

"Indeed" She said pulling his attention to the auspex "A low level power signature, at first I thought it was going to be another derelict ship that had been tossed back into real space by the warp but the transmission code is different"

"non human?" Havel questioned

"No my lord it's definitely of human origin and it is imperial but these codes..." she responded drifting off as if voicing her concern would draw a rebuke from the space marine

"go on?"

"the codes match old ones in our data banks... from over ten millennia ago and they match the ident of a legion astartes... the 2nd legion to be specific"

Havel went pale and fell silent, even his breathing seamed to stop for a minute.

"That's impossible..." He eventually stated

"My lord the very fact that these codes are in the data banks of a ship built long after the heresy is impossible but somehow they are here, maybe they always have been and they have just been waiting for a sign"

"The codes would have to be in every imperial ship, embedded deep within their data banks as their would have been no way to know which ship would get here"

The young captain nodded.

"I agree with you but that's not the only thing that was embedded their... there is also some information regarding the second legion and...a...picture of what the system says is their primarch"

"A picture?" Havel said with curiosity but knowing the answer may not be to his liking

The young captain tapped a symbol and the image of a woman appeared stood between two terminators in green and gold their armour unlike anything seen before. The woman was built slim and short for a primarch.

"Are you sure this is a picture of their Primarch and not just a random image, maybe the code has tagged the picture incorrectly?"

"there's no way of knowing that my lord but I was always taught the twenty sons were that, sons"

Havel took a deep breath in and exhaled.

"if this is indeed a picture of their primarch I would assume this image was here so that she could be identified but in our few months out here we have seen no sign of civilization"

"the signal would suggest otherwise" The captain replied

A shout came from the helm as they crested around the last planet and what they saw stunned every crew member and astartes on the bridge in to silence.

At the very edge of the galaxy, on the very edge of it's stellar matter sat a ring, it's edge was made up of vast platforms each with a symbol of a great ocean creature etched into it's surface. It was decorated in green, gold and white with odd nodules on it's surface. There did not appear to be any weapons or defences but Havel advised caution as they approached.

"By the God emperor!" the young captain exclaimed "It's so big" She glanced at the readings feeding back to the hololith "A planet could fit through it according to these readings"

"What is it made of?" Havel said still staring at the ring

"unknown, the auspex can't tell me what it's made of but the technology required to build this would be impressive, I wonder what it's here for..."

"... and did the second legion use it"

"I believe they made it"

"Explain" Havel said turning to the young captain

She moved the occulus's focus on to a small section of the ring, it had a small Ariel like node and was flashing a green light every so often but around the node were etched twenty symbols of the legions, even the symbol of the arch traitors legion was displayed proudly next to the others.

"This looks as if it was crafted for a purpose and the icons of the legions are there to mark it as imperial, this could be a communication system"

"Then let's say hello" Havel said

The young captain nodded, her short hair falling slightly forward as she rushed to send a standard imperial greeting.

There was nothing for a few minutes, then the ring lit up and a scanning beam passed over the ship before cutting out, then a message was sent back to the ship.

"access denied, gene code of legion father must be present"

"legion father?" The captain said

"A Primarch, access requires a primarch"

The young captain sighed.

"Now what do we do?"

"we go home and tell Lord Guilliman... we found what he was looking for"

"It is as the report says my lord, a primarch must be present"

Roboute Guilliman sat on his throne looking down at the messenger before glancing over to one of his captains.

"shall I prepare the ship for departure father?"

"No!" Guilliman said before standing up and striding over to his son.

"Is this not what you were looking for father?"

"it is"

"then why do you not wish..."

"If that ring was built by who I think it was then I can not bring them here, not now. For they would weep at what the imperium has become, no let them live their lives without that heartache because only if my father asks or the need becomes absolute will I go"

"as you wish father" he said before being offered a data slate by Guilliman

"This small chest, bring it to me but do not open it, understood"

"yes father"

Episode 1:The Return

6 months later

Lord Voldus strode into the hall with his eyes on the primarch. Six months had passed since the finding of the ring and he had remained in isolation since then, giving orders from afar. The grey knight had waited hoping that whatever kept him preoccupied would pass but it had not and now he had taken it upon himself to enter the hall and speak with him.

Guilliman was sat on his throne holding something in his hand and looking down upon it, staring at it with extreme concentration. As Voldus edged close he could see it was large shell with a swirl like shape and small spikes protruding from the smaller horn shaped end. Voldus stopped a few feet away from the lord commander, he hoped Guilliman would acknowledge him but he just kept staring at the shell.

"My Lord?" The grey knight said and Guilliman's gaze shifted from the shell to the grandmaster

Voldus was one of the most powerful psyker's in the imperium, entire armies of daemons had been burnt from existence with his power and yet under the gaze of a primarch he felt small and weak, like his power meant nothing and that the primarch could simply toss him aside like a small rock.

His gaze shifted back to the shell after a few moments.

"My lord forgive me but it has been six months and you have not left this hall, surely it would be wise to either contact this lost primarch or move on, the imperium needs you"

Guilliman's gaze did not shift from the shell this time but he did respond.

"My apologise Grandmaster I have been negligent in my role as lord commander but knowing that... she is out there, unaware of all that has happened..."

Guilliman drifted off but Voldus needed to pull him out to converse more hoping it would shake him out of this mood and commit him to some action. He scratched his grey beard and looked at the shell.

"Did...she... give you that?"

It had been hard for those who had been allowed to view the information on the 2nd primarch to accept that they were female and the history that they had been taught was distorted and twisted so badly that many truths had been covered up.

Guilliman nodded.

"Three of us visited her home-world, each after a campaign we fought with her and she gave us each a shell from the ocean floor, myself, Magnus and Horus"

Voldus sneered when he heard the arch-traitors name and despite his focus being on the shell Guilliman saw it.

"you sneer at his name yet in that time he was noble man who fought for the emperor to protect the imperium and Alistravia would not be aware of his betrayal so would still see him as that noble man, understand that the Estrellan's did not allow things to be removed from their planet by outsiders so for each of us to be allowed to leave with something as simple as a shell shows a level of respect shown to few others... in a sense they saw us, by extension of our relation to Alistravia, as their family"

"Was the emperor given one?"

"of course, where it is I do not know. When Alistravia went into exile I sealed mine away in a box vowing only to open it when she returned but when this ring was found I knew I must hold it in my hand, I was hoping for some revelation about what I should do but I am still lost"

Voldus looked the primarch up and down. His blue armour contained a demi god, a child of the god emperor yet here in this moment he seamed as human as anyone.

"Do you still think contacting her would be a mistake?"

"Maybe... but then I can not ignore that she has a full battle hardened legion at her command with technology even the Mechanicum can not create, not only that but she would be able to provide us with the technology we have lost and help rebuild our strength"

"The emperor gave us the power to create new marines with new greater equipment!" Voldus quickly stated in response

Guilliman looked over to him.

"True but Alistravia would likely improve upon their design"

"How could she improve on something given to us by a god"

Guilliman smiled at the grandmaster.

"and in that sentence lies the reason of why brining her back could cause more damage to the imperium, she hates religion and would be appalled by the divinity of my father in the eyes of the people"

"but you have come to accept this my lord" Voldus said argumentatively "why would she be any different?"

"I accept that in the absence of hope people have turned to worshipping my father as a god to find something to be their light in the dark, but have I accepted my father is a god?"

Voldus was stunned, he couldn't answer that question. In his loyalty he believed the lord commander had accepted the god emperor but perhaps that was not the case or perhaps it was simply this lost primarch stirring feelings of the past when the emperor hid his divinity from even his own.

Lord Guilliman stood up and strode towards the door with the shell in hand.

"where are you going my lord"

Guilliman stopped as he reached the door and turned back.

"To ask the advice of my father"

Then he left leaving Voldus alone in the hall.

The Journey to the emperors throne room was a long one and Guilliman still struggled with the sight of his fathers remains sat wired to vast cogitators, pots of burring incense hung from the ceiling swaying back and forth in a light breeze that came from an unseen source. There was the hum of the cogitators power supply in the back ground and the faint chant of a mechanicus prayer coming from somewhere as well unseen.

Guilliman stepped forward as the doors were sealed behind him and the last custodian left. He walked slowly towards the throne until he stood a few feet away then he lowered himself to one knee and placed the shell on the ground in front of him, closing his eyes and bowing his head in reverence of his father.

"I need your advice father" He muttered "what do I do about Alistravia"

The room fell quiet all of a sudden as if the very sound of reality had been ripped away and replaced with silence, then the breeze that blew gained in strength blowing the hanging pots of incense until they were pulling on the chains that held them. The smell increased but the fragrant flowery smell was gone and replaced with smell of grass and a foul sea air. When Guilliman opened his eyes he was no longer in the throne room but on the edge of a grassy mound, a beach was close by with an ocean stretching out into the distance.

"my son" a voice from behind him he recognized made him stand up and turn

"Father" he said beginning to bow but the emperor held his hand up to stop his movement

In the distance war was taking place, screams, gunfire and the clashing of swords could be heard as if the battle was a song of a thousand voices. The emperor stood in his golden armour looking at his son with a face of anguish and joy, Guilliman held the shell out to him.

"I have found her, or at least away to get to her"

The emperor said nothing response but starred at the shell in thought.

"I am asking your advice because I have thought about this for many months, I can not deny how useful a full legion who most likely have not suffered the genetic degradation others have would be and with Alistravia's technology to back them up we could have a powerful ally but she would see the religion that has sprung up around you as an insult and she might..."

"You must bring her to me" The emperor said interrupting Guilliman

"Are you sure father?"

The emperor nodded.

"I must speak with her"

For a moment Guilliman swore he saw a look of sorrow pass over his fathers face but it was gone in an instant.

"As you wish father" Guilliman replied and then with a jolt reality came back and he was in front of his fathers throne once more.

The ship had been prepared for several days and the last or the equipment was being brought aboard. Several companies of ultramarines had been brought aboard along with a small contingent of titans. When asked why he was bringing so many with him simply to meet Alistravia he stated that he did not know how much the traitors knew of this find and would not risk being intercepted with no means to fight.

It was an understandable reaction, the Alpha legion were known for having spy's all across the imperium and those organizing the finer details had taken great care to scrutinize the records of each passenger in an effort to prevent a spy from being carried with them. The other preparations had involved removing as much reference to the god emperor as possible and instructing each member of the crew that they must not display any signs of their faith until the ship returned to Terra.

Guilliman was on his way to the command deck when he was intercepted by a priest and several members of the adeptus sororitas.

"My lord I insist you take a representative of the ecclesiarchy with you"

"there is no reason for you to come with me" Guilliman stated ins response

The priest stood his ground banged his staff on the floor.

"I disagree my lord, you are reuniting with a lost child of the god emperor and someone from our order should be their to witness this event" The priest ushered a young woman forward in adepts robes "Kalia is a script recorder and junior documenter for the priesthood, she would simply be there to observe and nothing more"

Guilliman looked at the young girl who kept her head bowed.

"I can not guarantee her safety once we reach our destination"

The priest looked offended.

"are you saying you will not protect an imperial citizen my lord?"

Guilliman turned to the priest and took a step towards him casing him to step back shaking.

"I will protect every imperial citizen but if and when we reach Estrella it will no longer be imperial territory and if Alistravia reacts badly to the news of my fathers death and subsequent divination her safety will be in question... but I will take her since you have... insisted so politely"

The priest said nothing, bowed and then left, the girl simply followed the lord commander.

It took just over 3 months to reach the ring, Guilliman starred at it with a smile. It sat silent with the green light on the comms array blinking every so often. The ship approached slowly until Guilliman held his hand up.

"hold here" he said and the ship slowed to a stop

Captain Vinich had been stood aghast since he saw the ring and it took him a moment to regain his composure as the ship halted in front of the vast structure. He turned to Guilliman who sat in the command throne.

"Was this truly built by a legion?" Vinich asked as Guilliman rose from the throne and moved to stand at the front of the bridge

"Indeed it was, all the hall marks of Estrellan construction are there along with the clinical open design they were known for"

"I cannot believe it was left undefended, surely the primarch left a garrison?"

"it needs no garrison, look" Guilliman said pointing at the structure "do you see those little nodules"

"yes my lord" Vinich responded

"those are one large weapons system, I do not understand it but energy is passed along the nodules to a focus point then fired as a beam at a target and inside the ring will be thousands of automaton soldiers sat silently waiting for anyone to dare board the ring"

"Like skitarii?" Kalia asked as she came to look at the distant ring

Guilliman shook his head.

"No, they have no organic parts and are governed by their own logic engines"

"Artificial intelligence!" Kalia said a gasp

"A very limited one but yes, to Alistravia and the Estrellan's AI was not forbidden and that brought them into conflict with the Mechanicum"

"How so?" Vinich asked

Guilliman looked down to him and sighed.

"a story for another time perhaps, for now, hail the ring"

The same standard message was sent out and once again the ring lit up and sent out it's scan beam but after it had passed this time a different message played out.

" _Primogenitor detected, please proceed into the wormhole Roboute Guilliman"_

Vinich looked to Guilliman who had a smile on his face.

"what wormhole?"

Then the ring began to power up and an internal section began rotating faster and faster, space inside the ring began to distort and shouts came from the sensorium team of an unusual anomaly forming in the centre of the ring. A large tremor shook the ship and alert sirens began to ring as the gravitational force outside the ship began to increase.

"My lord we can not stay here we will be crushed"

"hold our position"

"but my lor..."

"I SAID HOLD!" Guilliman shouted at Vinich over the roar of the klaxon's

The space inside the ring suddenly bean to spin rapidly, several crew members who were staring at it collapsed as the distortion overwhelmed their minds.

"A warp rift!" Kalia said holding her head as it pulsed with pain

"No" Guilliman responded "A gateway like a warp rift, it can have adverse effects on those not used to seeing one form" he looked over to the captain and Kalia who seemed even more confused "imagine the universe is an round fruit and that you could tunnel from one end to the other without going through the warp"

"I don't understand" Vinich responded

"I don't expect you to" Guilliman said

Then in a slow explosion of particles and gravitons and the centre of the spinning anomaly ripped open revealing a strange blue tunnel with what looked like sparks of lightning cascading across it.

"It's beautiful!" Kalia exclaimed "like looking at the very soul of the universe"

Guilliman nodded to her.

"a poetic way to put it" he said before turning to Vinich "Take us in, you will not need to raise the gellar fields, the denizens of the warp have no reach here"

The ship pushed forward and the crew stood and watched as they slowly entered the tunnel. The entrance behind them began to close and the ship accelerated forward by an unseen force.

"My lord ship is no longer propelling it's self forward, we are being pulled and the entrance has closed behind us"

Guilliman nodded.

"disengage engines and let the gravity waves carry us"

It had been three weeks since they entered the tunnel, Guilliman had been pacing about and rarely left the bridge, now he had sat back down on the throne and seamed to be lost in thought. Kalia approached him with some caution.

"what was she like?"

Guilliman looked towards her with some annoyance but politely responded.

"Alistravia was a diplomat first and foremost, she held the rank of supreme ambassador and could bring entire worlds into compliance with just a her appearance and a few polite words, those that resisted saw the other side of her, the warrior that would sweep aside all opposition. Her legion was small back then but growing and she would burn entire worlds that dared to show religious followings and refused to convert to the imperial truth, she saw science as the future and the only way for humanity to advance"

"You said before you could not ensure my safety, will she be angry that we worship the emperor as he should be worshipped, as a god?"

Guilliman nodded.

"Alistravia may of not of had Angron's strength but she had his temper when upset and I do not yet know how she will react which is why I must speak with her alone at first, then if she does get angry she will lash out at me"

Kalia seamed confused.

"she would attack you"

Guilliman chucked.

"that is a strong word, she will be unhappy but she is my sister and I will deal with it"

Guilliman eyed the young priestess.

"tell me Kalia, why were you really chosen to join me on this journey?"

"to witness you reunion with the lost child of the god emperor"

Guilliman shook his head.

"that is a lie, any member of the ecclesiarchy could of accompanied me but you were chosen specifically so I ask again, why you?"

Kalia seamed hesitant, Guilliman could tell she knew her reason for being here was a lie and that had been obvious but he knew she was likely a tool of the ecclesiarchy for some other nefarious purpose.

"The primarch had a real born son did she not?"

Guilliman nodded.

"yes, Carin, he choose to stay behind when Alistravia went into exile. My father gave him a role governing a sub sector, the last I heard before the war broke out was that he had married and had a family"

"the ecclesiarchy had knowledge of this and traced his gene hood which led to me, making me a descendant of his"

Guilliman frowned.

"I would not recommend you tell anyone else of this and certainly do not mention this to anyone when we are on Estrella but tell me, how did the ecclesiarchy gain this knowledge in the first place?"

"I don't know, they just came into the temple one day and asked for me"

Guilliman was about to say something else when captain Vinich approached.

"my lord our auspex and augers can't make sense of this anomaly and the astropath is reporting he can no longer sense the holy light of the astronomican, are we sure this wormhole is safe?"

"Alistravia used miniature versions generated by her ships to travel without going through the warp and never suffered any accidents so I do believe we are safe"

Vinich looked at Guilliman with curiosity.

"so if she never needed gates to open a wormhole before why is there one now?"

"The size is much large and it is likely Estrella it's self travelled through the wormhole"

Vinich scoffed and almost laughed.

"My lord I am willing to believe many things but the idea she could move a planet"

Guilliman glared back at him.

"So you are willing to believe that my father is a god but not that a group of human scientists and engineers who left Terra long before he even came to power could build a ship so large it became like a planet?"

"it seams a little far fetched" Kalia said and Guilliman sighed

"Estrella was a generational ship of scientists and engineers, while Alistravia could go into more detail about the story I will be brief but eventually the populace became so large and the power demands so much they built a surface around the ships core so would appear as a planet but in reality it is just like any vessel with a crew except they were able to love on the surface around around the ship and filled it with ocean water to cool the core at the centre so they would have almost unlimited power, this may be hard for you to believe but you may understand more when we arrive at our destination"

A shout from the auspex officer drew their attention to the view at the front of the ship. In the distance the another a tear at the end of the tunnel was forming and slowly it opened up and as the ship approached real space could again be seen. Guilliman stood up and strode to the front viewing platform and watched as the ship came out of the wormhole next to small space station that scanned them instantly. The station was at the edge of a system and even at this distance ships could be seen moving between the five planets, three were a beautiful green and blue as Terra had once been, a forth was made of ice but still visible colony's on the surface shone bright as the ship passed deeper into the system, then as they rounded the ice world they saw a globe with an endless sea of pure blue and green with a large fleet sat next to it, a huge vessel at the centre of it's formation. Like the other worlds ships were coming and going from it's surface, some were setting course for the other planets in the system whilst others were opening small wormholes and leaving the system entirely.

Vinich indicated the largest whale shaped vessel at the centre of the fleet formation.

"Look at the size of it, it must need a crew of hundreds of thousands!"

"the Pequad, Alistravia's flagship" Guilliman responded

"My lord none of these stars match those of our own galaxy" Vinich said trying to make sense of the sensorium readings

"because we are either no longer in our galaxy or somewhere outside it" Guilliman said casually as message echoed across the vox

" _Imperial vessel this Estrellan traffic control, welcome back Lord Guilliman, please proceed to the following coordinates and place yourself in high anchor before descending to the surface"_

Vinich did not need to wait for Guilliman to tell him, he quickly ordered the helm to proceed to the coordinates provided.

Guilliman turned and walked towards the exit followed by his bodyguard and Kalia. As he passed Vinich he spoke.

"I will be on the surface, I could be several days... it is Ilkley the Estrellan's will invite you down to the surface but you are to refuse politely until I have spoken with Alistravia"

"Yes my lord" Vinich said as he bowed

A thunder-hawk was already powered up and waiting, as the ramp lowered and Guilliman's escort stepped aboard he stopped at the ramp and turned to Kalia.

"listen carefully Kalia, once we are on the surface you will not speak unless spoken to and under no circumstances should you mention the god emperor"

"I am to deny my faith!" she exclaimed

"No, only hide it for now, I will introduce you as a remembrancer for the moment"

Kalia sighed, she did not like the idea of having to hide her beliefs but she understood the lord commanders reasoning behind his request.

"If that's what you think is best my lord"

Guilliman nodded and the two entered the gunships hold as it's thrusters roared into life.

They descended down towards coordinates sent by the Estrellan's until they were hovering above an endless ocean. No land was visible or means of landing appeared until a small platform raised to the surface. The Thunder-hawk set down and a dome shield came into appearance as the platform descended. Kalia looked out through the viewing ports and a glorious sight greeted her, as they passed a small undersea mountain a seabed of dazzling lights of every colour shone out. Marine life of all different sizes, colours and shapes moved about. Small schools of neon fish swam by while on the surface of the ocean bright red and green crustaceans picked through forests of kelp eating smaller fish. A whale sized creature moved in the distance slowly as it made it's way on it's journey through the ocean.

"It's stunning, such life" Kalia said and Guilliman responded as the platform turned and rose slightly to crest a mountain.

"Your about to see something just as if not more stunning"

As the platform turned again and the mountain passed she saw a beautiful white and gold city, hundreds of thousands of miles wide encased in a protective dome. Little submersibles left it on the lowest parts going off into the ocean while larger craft lifted skywards and out of the dome towards a destination beyond the orbit of the planet. The platform effortlessly transitioned through the outer dome and into the city. The dome that had covered the platform dissipated now it was no longer needed, Kalia looked across the city and saw thousands of people going about their business. A few had stopped to look up but most simply carried on as if the arrival of another ship meant nothing to them.

"This is Atlantis the capital of Estrella, there are other city's spread across the planet but this is where Alistravia will be" Guilliman told her

The platform suddenly stopped and began to lower and rotate, as it did Kalia saw that they were landing at the centre of the city by vast tower and palace like building. Already she could see space marines in white and gold moving about in small squads or conversing with human citizens and soldiers.

Eventually the platform came to rest and the assault ramp opened. At the far end down a long path stood a group of people. Guilliman stepped out with his escort and looked down at Kalia, as they began to walk she could make out the people better. Four of them stood together, a larger warrior with blonde hair stood behind a person Kalia realized must be Alistravia. He was huge and twice the size of the other space marines around him, the size of a dreadnought he held a large hammer by it's pommel with it's head end resting on the ground. His hands were two massive power fists and his face was the same as another warrior who stood to the side of Alistravia. He held no weapon but a sword elegantly made was sheathed at his hip. The third figure to the other side of Alistravia was clearly a psyker, his hood gave it away along with a staff. Alistravia was dressed in a green and gold dress, her long black hair dangled down her back, she was the most beautiful woman Kalia had ever seen and she understood why Guilliman had said she had brought worlds into compliance by simply showing up and speaking, she appeared bigger than the holoimage she had seen but she doubted a holoimage of any primarch would truly show their real selves.

Guilliman noticed her looking at the figures and spoke.

"the large one is Gigas, Alistravia's personal bodyguard and chief of security, Horus used to refer to him as the little primarch and his twin brother..." he continued indicating the figure with the sword stood to the right of Alistravia "is Kyros her first captain and the one on the left is Sankara Qualm her equerry and chief librarian, they are Alistravia's triumvirate and most senior sons"

"why is her bodyguard so big?" Kalia asked

"I do not know the full details but when he underwent the surgery to become an astartes the genetic changes already implemented by Alistravia reacted oddly and increased his size and strength"

The last few feet to reach Alistravia was done in silence. Leaving a large gap between them Guilliman's escort stopped along with Kalia as the lord commander stepped forward towards his sister. Alistravia also stepped forward moving so that they would both meet in the middle.

The two primarchs were silent for many minutes as they met in the middle until Alistravia spoke.

"its good to see you again Roboute, some part of me believed I would never see any of you again"

Alistravia reached to touch Guilliman's face and he responded in kind. Kalia had not expected the primarchs to embrace each other as other siblings might after such a long time apart, at least not in public but she realized that it was as intimate as two could be right now. Perhaps the time apart had made them wary of each other but their was clearly affection in both their eyes even if their body language said otherwise.

"I have missed you sister, the imperium has felt empty without you but much has changed and we must talk"

"of course" she replied "but we should eat first, your crew must be tired and we can provide a far better meal down here than whatever sits in your ships stores"

Guilliman shook his head.

"No Alis, we must speak first in private"

Guilliman gave Alistravia a look, Kalia saw how serious that look was even without seeing his face and Alistravia nodded.

"that sounds ominous Roboute but as you wish" she turned to look at the Kalia "whose she?"

"a remembrmancer of a sort" Guilliman responded and Alistravia nodded although it was clear she wasn't convinced

"Very well, Sankara escort the remembrmancer and Lord Guilliman's retinue to guest quarters, I will be in my private quarters with my brother"

"yes mother" came the response from the Equerry

Guilliman had not sat down, Alistravia poured them both a drink and handed Guilliman the glass but he did not drink he just starred into it for a moment.

"What is on your mind that requires you to ask for private conversation before the celebration of our reunification?"

"you may want to sit down for this Alis"

Alistravia looked over the lord commander and sighed before taking a seat on her ornate couch.

Guilliman looked over to the warrior of the maidens shield stood in the corner. He had not reacted when Guilliman had entered with Alistravia such was the his role, to be ever watchful over the water maiden but only move or speak when duty required it and he did not react when the first words came out of Guilliman's mouth.

"the emperor is dead"

Alistravia's eyes narrowed.

"How?" she asked and Guilliman took a breath before he spoke

He began recanting the tale, when he had first entered the wormhole he had been lost at where to begin, how to tell Alistravia about everything that had happened but when he opened his mouth it came out perfectly. He told the tale giving as much information as he could, everything from Monarchia and the burning of Prospero to Isstavan and the death of Ferrus, from there to Moloch and the burning of the five hundred worlds and the unleashing of the warp on the galaxy, from there he told her of the struggle to return to Terra and defend it. He told her of how Alpharius had attempted to assault the home system of humanity but died at the hands of Rogal Dorn, he told her so much he feared he would never stop. The great siege of Terra came next and the death of Sanguinius at the hands of Horus and then the final battle between the emperor and Horus and that despite the traitors defeat the emperor had been badly wounded and was subsequently wired to the golden throne.

He gave Alistravia a minute to absorb it all but she said nothing so he continued, Explaining how each primarch had vanished and the rise of the inquisition and the religion deifying the emperor as a god. He expected her to fly into a rage or shout but she sat silent and the times where it appeared as if she might say something she would pick up her glass and drink, as if forcing down the rage building inside her. Eventually he came towards the end telling of how an Eldar craft world sacrificed it's self to revive him from his stasis where he had been placed after being wounded fatally by Fulgrim.

Alistravia stood up and walked over to stare out the window of her quarters that looked out onto the city.

"Father wants you to return, he wishes to speak to you"

"you said he was dead" Alistravia responded with little emotion

"His body is gone, I do not understand it but his mind or his psychic presence remains within the astronomican, he can still communicate though only for short periods... he was able to help me create a new breed of marine, we call them Primaris, but we are still in danger and some things from outside the galaxy also come to consume not just us but all life, we are besieged by them and other xenos as well as our traitorous brethren" Guilliman responded

"so fathers genetic technology is not enough, he also needs myself and my legion. What difference does he think that will make?"

"at least hear what he has to say Alis, I know you and he had your disagreements but you respected each other enough to listen so... will you return with me?"

Alistravia sighed.

"It's not that easy Roboute, we have forged a nice little empire here. The other species in this space don't really interact with us except to trade and even then that is rare, it's peaceful here and you want me to drag my people back into a war that shows no sign of end, and you know my opinion on religious belief, why have you not ended this superstitious nonsense, you knew the man! you know he was no god!"

Guilliman shot back as best he could.

"Alis it could start another civil war and the imperium can not be split again, I may not like the religion formed around our father but it has kept the imperium from crumbling for ten millennia!"

"By telling people a lie that has got them believing in nonsense and made them forget the foundations the emperor, their so called god, built the imperium on in the first place" Alistravia responded angrily

"Alis until six months ago they had no idea you even existed, worse than that history has become so distorted that believe you to of been a man, lies or not we need help if we are to survive"

Alistravia sighed and looked over her brother.

"who commands the traitors now, Angron? Fulgrim?"

"Abbadon declared himself war-master, but Magnus and Mortarion have shown their faces in recent years" Guilliman responded

"and they follow him?"

"they seam to have their own agendas so I do not truly know"

"and you have not been able to find where our loyal brothers are?" Alistravia asked

"I know the Lion lies at rest on what remains of Caliban and Vulkan is believed to be also dead but Jaghattai, Rogal and Leaman I know not of their location"

Alistravia turned back towards the window.

"will you come back with me Alis?" Roboute asked and she sighed

"Brother you have just informed me of the demise of two of my brothers at the hands of others and you expect me to make such a quick decision" She said angrily "I may not of got along with Ferrus but I cared for him and Sanguinius was...my friend, even if he was too proud to admit his failings at times...I...I need to think about this Roboute, please give me some time"

Roboute nodded and left.

Guilliman entered the large room where his bodyguard and Kalia were waiting. She moved to greet him and asked him the first and most obvious question she thought of.

"how did she take the news?"

"better than I expected, it's odd I imagined she would be more upset but she remained calm" Guilliman responded

"her ascension may have something to do with that" a voice said

Kalia and Guilliman turned to see a space marine with apothecary robes over his armour, he had a deep grey beard and sharp looking face.

"it is good to see you again my lord" he said bowing to Guilliman

"And you, Kalia this is Alistravia's chief apothecary, Nev Thou... your brother is well I assume?"

"he is his usual self my lord, getting into trouble with Rebus but good at his job" Nev replied

"what were you saying about ascension?" Kalia asked

Nev stepped further into the room and let the doors shut behind him.

"We had been here in this galaxy for twelve years when mother began reporting feeling unwell, we thought initially that something within this galaxy could be affecting her but a deep level scan showed her dormant organs, the ones that were implanted by the emperor when she was still in the incubation pod, had reactivated"

"for what purpose?" Guilliman asked

"We did not know at first then she lapsed into a coma, during that time the organs began adding new layers of muscle and coating her bones to make them harder and stronger, her hearts increased in size and strength, she developed a secondary nervous system and the fast healing capability she always had became so strong it was almost impossible to injure her..."

"could this happen to myself and to the others?" Guilliman asked

"My lord..., it has happened to you" Nev said surprising Guilliman

"how do you know?" Kalia asked

"when you landed our bio scanners checked you for diseases and other possible infectious bacteria, it showed the changes in lord Guilliman's genetic structure, and it also showed us you are a descendant of Carin"

Kalia was shocked and seamed ready to deny what was said but Guilliman intervened.

"does Alis know this?"

"no, I have not had chance yet to speak with her" Nev responded

"good, I will introduce Kalia to her myself in time"

Nev nodded in agreement.

"very well but might I ask how you are unaware of your accession?"

"I spent a large amount of time in stasis due to an injury, the change must of occurred when I was revived as I was unconscious for a short while and the imperium's bio scanners are woefully inadequate to yours, how much stronger is she?"

Nev shrugged.

"difficult to say, she is stronger but unlikely to be any stronger than the other primarchs and as before her skill in melee is sub par, as always that superior technology we wield is what would give her any true advantage"

"sorry to interrupt" Kalia said "but do you have a bathroom?"

"of course" Nev responded "down the hall and to the left" the space marine said before resuming his conversation with Guilliman

"we should never of left" Kyros said as they stood with Alistravia in her quarters. The three had been summoned the moment Guilliman had left, they had listened to Alistravia tell them the same tale Guilliman had told her and like Alistravia they had remained silent to the end.

"Had we of stayed there was a good chance our legion could have been consumed, we would have been a target for both sides due to our advanced technology" Sankara responded

"the question is how we respond now" Alistravia said in response

The three looked at each other with passing glances as if nervous about something they wanted to say and Alistravia noticed it.

"Whatever the three of you are so scared to say to me you should say it, now is not the time for holding back opinions, do you think we should return?"

Gigas was the first to speak.

"Mother we have waited out the storm and our people are safe but we can not just sit idly by while other humans suffer"

"some might say the storm is still in effect" Alistravia said in response

"True" Kyros said speaking up "But out here are warriors sit around and do nothing but tackle the odd dangerous life form on a colonized planet... I know it is not something we openly admit but we were all, including you mother, bred for war and right now there is one raging and with our legion being larger now we can still protect our people here"

Alistravia didn't respond but looked to Sankara.

"Alis, we have waited long enough... it is time to remind the imperium and it's enemy's why we are to be feared"

"so it's a coup then?" Alistravia responded jokingly looking at her oldest sons "I know you are right but how would we even divide the legion to protect our boarders as well as fight in this war, plus we would need a forward base inside the milky way to act as a supply line, if this war is as bad as Roboute says then many will die and we can not let our numbers drop, not now we number so many"

"we can build a station just out side the ring in the milky way to act as a supply line and place a colony on one of the nearby worlds as a training and growing ground for new marines, we can ascend some initiates there and fold them into the forces easily enough" Gigas said

"I have already begun dividing the legion, as we have no conflicts in this galaxy we can safely pull over three hundred thousand warriors from their garrison and still have enough left to protect our boarders and we could rotate them out so each company will have a chance to fight and believe me they do want to fight and fleet wise we have more than enough ships" Kyros had spoken instantly after his brother not giving Alistravia a chance to speak

"As you can see" Sankara started before Alistravia could speak "we have thought this through. Mother you saved our people and for that we are all eternally grateful but our place as Kyros said is in this war. Fighting for those who didn't have a saviour like you"

Alistravia nodded and was about to respond when a vox call came through.

" _mother"_ the maidens shield warrior outside her quarters spoke _"the remembrmancer lord Guilliman brought is here, she claims she is a descendant of Carin, genetic scans have confirmed it"_

"let her in" Alistravia said exchanging a look with her sons

Kalia had not been nervous when she had met the lord commander but was panicking now, she could feel her heart racing as she stepped into the room. Alistravia stood with a different member of her triumvirate stood in different positions around the room.

"So did my brother plan to use you as bribery if I chose not to return?"

"No I did not" Guilliman said as he walked in the room

"It's true" Kalia said "Lord Guilliman had no idea who I was until we were underway and he asked me"

Alistravia looked to Sankara who nodded as if to indicate that it was not a lie.

"well then how did you manage to get attached to my brother because I am beginning to doubt you are really "sort of a remembrancer"" Alistravia asked

Kalia turned and looked at Guilliman.

"this is why I told you to wait Kalia" he looked to Alistravia "she was found by the ecclesiarchy, I do not know how they found out about her or Carin but they did and they insisted they have a representative"

"so the religious arm of the imperium wishes to manipulate me into returning!?"

Guilliman sighed.

"Alis forget them and forget what they believe, you are still a primarch and warlord of the imperium and have every right to demand their obedience if you return... so... will you?"

Alistravia looked at Guilliman for what seamed like an age. Kalia was so nervous she carefully shifted back towards Guilliman.

"It will take us a few days to assemble enough of the legion but..." Alistravia turned to Kyros "alert all stations and ready the fleet, were going home!"

Guilliman smiled.

"the traitors won't know what hit them"

Alistravia continued giving orders starting with Sankara.

"summon the council, tell them it's urgent and send a scout to the milky way end of the wormhole and start planning the colony and station" Sankara nodded and headed off with Kyros as Alistravia turned to Gigas "recall Kelsey and Velar from the outer colony's and make sure all boarder garrisons are fully armed"

Gigas nodded and headed out of the room.

"so the ancient is still alive" Guilliman said

"He remains as impossible to kill as he always has been" Alistravia replied looking to Kalia "I assume you worship my father as a god?"

"yes" Kalia replied nervously

Alistravia let out a snort of derision

"Alis" Guilliman said interrupting before the conversation could go any further "what galaxy are we in?"

Alistravia walked to what looked like a glass panel which curved slightly like the screen of a transport. It sprung to life as she waved her hand over it with a holographic interface, she keyed a few of the the runes and that appeared first in strange twisted setup and Kalia turned her head away as it made her feel nauseous, Alistravia noticed.

"your not used to seeing more than three dimensions that's why your feeling sick, your mind doesn't have the mental training to accept a fourth dimension as reality" she said as she pressed one last key and an image of the galaxy appeared in the centre of the room.

"Our original plan was to travel to the Andromeda galaxy but we were forced back by a species we had never seen before with organic ships so we stopped here in this small cluster of stars, I am not sure why but this small cluster separated from the milky way millions of years ago and it has made a safe home"

"the species you encountered we call tyranids, they have attacked the milky on mass several times and they are hard to kill" Guilliman asked

Alistravia nodded.

"We noticed, I lost a lot of good people before we were able force them into retreat but we had to pool all our resources into a genetic bomb and it cost us a lot of our resources and now we are stuck here but it's safe at least"

"you said you had encountered other species here, how many?"

"Eleven, six fairly advanced and three more are still confined to one or two systems and the rest are fairly primitive" Alistravia responded

"you haven't purged them?" Kalia asked

"why would I do that? They have offered no threat and they stay out of our way, it would be a waste of time to purge them" Alistravia said sharply

"but xenos are treacherous creatures who seek our destruction" Kalia responded alarmingly

"perhaps some do but every species here has been of no threat, maybe one day we will meet one that does seek our destruction but I will not murder entire races simply for pre-emptive mistrust" Alistravia said

Guilliman could sense the tension and changed the subject.

"Alis do you still plan to throw that reunification feast?"

"Absolutely" she said and her demeanour changed from growing anger to delight "one of the chefs invented a soufflé I think you will adore" She turned to Kalia "you should go to the library and learn about the imperium of old, plus I would like to spend time with my brother in private"

Kalia was going to reply but a nod from Guilliman said enough, she bowed and left.

Kalia had been surprised when the astartes on guard outside the library simply let her pass without challenge. A younger legion psyker spoke to her as she entered about what she was looking for and then directed her to the right stacks. She found what she needed under a section marked _"imperial history, From founding – exile"._ Each book was not a book or a script like she was familiar with but a strange type of data slate, when she had tried to reach for it a strange drone had descended from the ceiling like a spider but shaped like a squid. It grabbed the slate and carried it over to a desk with another clear curved piece of glass which lit up when it placed the slate on a small pad. Kalia took a seat and began to read the first book, several hours passed without her noticing, at one point a different drone appeared with a plate of food. The drone hadn't said anything but simply left the plate of small round biscuits on the side as if making the suggestion she should stop and eat but what she was reading had her hooked and had shaken up a lot of the history she knew about the imperium and the emperor as well as the primarchs. It wasn't always lies but there were many miss-truths, events the ecclesiarchy had twisted or changed to suit there purpose and narrative.

Other events she had no idea had even occurred and was finding those irresistible to read as they revealed much of the lost history of the imperium, she read about people and worlds she never knew existed, events that seamed impossible in her time were played out like a grand space opera.

She had just started the next slate and was deep into her reading when a voice interrupted her.

"You should take a break, rest your eyes for a while"

She looked up to see Sankara, he was stood behind her holding several data slates.

"I can't stop now I only have eight more to do"

"as impressive as it is that you can assimilate so much information a feast is starting shortly in honour of lord Guilliman, you should attend" Sankara said

"I don't want to" She responded

"why not?"

"because Alistravia doesn't like me!" She exclaimed

Sankara was silent for a moment and he paced the slates he was holding on a nearby desk.

"true but what did you expect? Alistravia and every Estrellan in the galaxy can not tolerate religion in any form, and for her to hear that the imperium has abandoned reason for foolish superstition is a difficult thing to hear and also with the emperor dead and her brothers also either dead, missing or a traitor she is upset and you represent all that has gone wrong with the imperium, the only reason your still alive is because you are Carin's descendant"

"That's not my fault! all they did was tell me about Carin and then force my company on Lord Guilliman, they didn't tell him who I was, I only said something because he asked and..."

"for humans refusing a primarch is difficult if they are weak minded, a genetic gift of the emperor so that none would disobey them" Sankara responded "I am sure like all those who command in the name of religion they lied to further their cause, when mother returns they will likely claim some holy reunification blessed by the emperor"

"and I will go back to recording sermons into data archives..." Kalia said sounding disappointed

"Alis may not like what you represent but she won't send you away so quickly, you are Carin's descendant after all. Come" Sankara said and urged Kalia to follow

Kalia stood hesitantly and followed the astartes out of the library, he continued to talk as they went.

"Why do you sometimes call her Alis?"

"we grew up together and she was my friend long before she was my primarch, in more formal situations I will address her by calling her mother but we Estrellan's don't give titles as much gravitas as others do" Sankara responded

"I see" Kalia said as they reached a large hall where the sounds of a great feast could be heard.

"Do not worry about things right now, let us just enjoy the food and celebrate" Sankara said before leading her into the hall.

It had taken four days for everything to be prepared. The fleet had been going back and forth between other systems populated by the Estrellan's and gathering the company's picked to join Ali on the return to Terra. Most were the veteran company's such as the 6th and 7th but who had a few new marines but several fresh company's who had been created since the exile were also brought in. With the legion now numbering over one and a half million and the colony's not only having astartes defenders but auto-matron warriors as well a fair amount were brought from the garrisons with enough being left on the patrolling Estrellan fleets to protect the colony's if needed.

Word had come back from the scout that it had released construction drones who were assembling the space station outside the gate, several other construction ships were going with the fleet along with colonists and other resources to establish a foothold in the system out side the gate. Guilliman had asked to join Alistravia on her ship to which she agreed and suggested that his own vessel set off back to Terra now as it's journey would be far longer.

Kalia had spent most of the four days reading about the imperium before the heresy and was beginning to realize more and more that much of what she had been thought was either a lie, a twisted truth or some piece of lost history, the very idea that many of the traitors once fought for the imperium had always been a distasteful though but to read about it was very different and she had begun to understand that the schisms that caused the heresy ran far deeper than she knew.

Alistravia's personal shuttle was sat on the pad with it's engines warmed up, she herself was speaking with two of the council members.

"I wish you would let me give up the post of Arch-inventress, it is time for someone else to take the role"

"nonsense" an old man with silver hair responded "you have provided us with a future and a safe galaxy to live in, you have earned the title a thousand time now and to be honest I can't think of anyone who could replace you" he said before banging his staff on the ground

The woman with him was younger but still advanced in years and she pointed a finger at Alistravia.

"just don't forget to come and see us if you ever need a break for the constant warfare it sounds like you are going to be part of"

Alistravia bowed.

"I will be back, after all no one else makes better fish and kelp bites"

There was a chuckle from the two council members and then they bowed back to Alistravia.

The trip back through the wormhole took no less time than it did aboard the imperial vessel, Kalia had been astounded by the difference in Estrellan ship design compared to imperial. Gone were the dark corridors with maze like layouts, instead simple corridors led back and forth between sections of the ship and a travel system of lifts allowed them to go between decks faster. The lighting was brighter and the walls were not metal panels with wiring and other piping running over them, they were clean, pristine and no systems or wiring was exposed except for where a drone had removed a plate and seamed to be fixing something. That was another thing to note, no servitors walked the halls and the drones only appeared when needed. She had seen many of auto-matron units on the surface but here she saw different ones patrolling the upper decks and guarding sensitive areas along with space marines.

The bridge had stunned her the most, it was large and spacious with a razed section at the back where the command throne sat but the rest was open and a large viewing port showed the space outside. Again no servitors were present and the layout was much different. At the very front was the helm position and two human crew members sat at stations with a hovering piece of glass in front of them displaying the holographic interface once again. A large station for tactical and operations sat further behind those, Kalia had noted there were no gun decks but on approach in the shuttle she had seen the nodes lord Guilliman had shown them on the ring, she knew there was likely to be torpedo tubes and other weapons systems but she had read that the Estrellan's would not display their weapons like imperial ships for fear of them being much more easily targeted.

Other stations were dotted about and the human crew since boarding had been hard at work at their stations, Alistravia had introduced them to her admiral, Elise Marten. She was a descendant of Alistravia`s first fleet admiral Maris Marten. Guilliman had shook her hand hand firmly telling her it was an honour to of known her ancestor.

They had reached the milky way, a hundred and fifty massive ships with a little over three hundred thousand astartes aboard. The station that was to be built outside the ring was already under construction along with the nearby colony, a smaller fleet of Estrellan ships was patrolling the area watching for any signs of attack.

"it will take us three weeks to reach Terra" Admiral Marten said

"I should contact Voldus and let him know I have returned" Guilliman said stepping on to the holographic comms pad, Alistravia stepped on it a second after him and he gave her a sideways glance.

She returned the look and smiled.

"I might as well introduce myself" she said as the system powered into life using the vox sequencer Guilliman had passed to the admiral

It allowed him to make contact with Voldus personally and they waited until the image of the grey knight appeared.

"My lord you have returned!" he exclaimed before looking over to Alistravia

"Lord Voldus this is my sister and primarch of the second legion, Alistravia Tempera"

Lord Voldus bowed as Guilliman spoke.

"Alis this is Lord Voldus, grandmaster of the grey knights space marine chapter"

Alistravia returned the bow.

"A pleasure" she said

"my lord you should know the ecclesiarchy has deployed the sororitas to the chamber outside the emperors throne room and have promised to refuse entry to the lost primarch until she proves her legitimacy"

"My legitimacy!?... I can provide them with genetic evidence and they would be welcome to analyse it independently" Alistravia said sounding confused

Voldus shook his head.

"it is not the genetic component that is in question, we have never met you and know little about you... the ecclesiarchy believes a trial is necessary to prove to them you are a child of the emperor so they can tell spread that news across the galaxy"

"what kind of trial?" Guilliman asked

"A trial by combat, they have chosen a champion who will do battle with your sister" Voldus responded

"And did they do a trial when my brother returned?" Alistravia asked

"No they did not but he was not lost to us! simply wounded" Voldus said with some bluntness and Guilliman braced himself knowing Alistravia would not appreciate the comment or how it was delivered.

Alistravia sighed and looked over the grandmaster.

"you are very lucky grandmaster" She said

"how?"

"well for two reasons, the first being that I am not physically stood in the same room as you or I would prove my legitimacy by tearing you into several pieces and second... because what you say is true"

Voldus was about to respond when Guilliman stepped in.

"who is there champion?"

"the living saint" he responded

"The living saint" Alistravia said and laughed "just when I think it can't get any worse"

"Celestine did wound Abbadon the despoiler and force him to leave the battlefield at Cadia!" Voldus exclaimed trying to make the saint sound like a hero "she is stronger than she looks"

"Because she can wound Ezekyle Abbadon, what next? is she going to lightly scratch Magnus?" Alistravia was laughing as she said this and in the background Gigas was also chuckling to himself "tell them I am more than happy to go through their trial and that they should say their last goodbyes to this living saint"

Voldus looked over at Guilliman who looked just as serious as Alistravia did even though she was laughing.

"we will be there in three weeks"

"don't you mean months my lord?" Voldus asked

"No he doesn't, my wormholes are much faster than travel through the warp and please pass this information on to the ecclesiarchy, if I wanted I could simply wormhole into my fathers throne room and I am indulging their request only because I am intrigued by this living saint and could use a work out"

Voldus nodded.

"I will pass on the message" he replied before the image faded

Kalia walked over to Alistravia and spoke.

"it wouldn't be wise to underestimate the living saint, she has the blessed holy power of the emperor on her side"

Alistravia gave out another exasperated sigh.

"you seam to be forgetting the fact you stand in the presence of two primarchs and we are the very embodiment of the emperors power but I don't deny your saint is likely a seasoned warrior and quite capable, Abbadon was a powerful warrior in my time so imagine ten millennia of war can only of heightened his skills"

The arrival at Terra was not filled with fanfare, they exited the wormhole close to the moon and Alistravia looked out the viewing port on the bridge and smiled. Sankara came and stood beside her.

"were finally back, after all these years"

The trip down to the surface was done in silence and Alistravia spent her time viewing images of Celestine in battle while Guilliman was catching up on all that had occurred while he was away.

They made their way down to the throne room and in the vast open chamber that stood outside the door to the throne room the ecclesiarchy waited. adeptus sororitas stood in massed groups with weapons held at the ready, the living saint was stood in the centre with a priest who eyed Alistravia as she entered with Kyros, Sankara, Gigas and her escort. Lord Guilliman entered a second later and stood with Alistravia who had donned her armour. It had changed since the days of the great crusade, the golden shark mouth still sat upon her chest plate but that had been reforged with new technology and strength, her lower torso armour was still flecked with golden edging but it had been refined and had new functions added just as her chest plate had. Her helm still sat in the guise of a fish face and she sneered at the gathering as they observed her without her helm in place.

The priest approached slightly but maintained a weary distance as lord Voldus appeared as the last person to enter the hall.

"Fabled lost primarch" he started "You will now face our cha..."

"so... this is the one that seeks to do combat with me?" Alistravia asked looking at Celestine "will this be to the death?"

"You dare interrupt a servant of his holy majesty the god emperor?" the priest responded shocked by Alistravia's interruption

Alistravia laughed at the little human and it sent a chill down his spine. He took a few steps back as did the battle sisters who lost their composure for a moment, only Celestine stood her ground staring back at Alistravia with her wings folded behind her back and flecks of light reflecting off her golden armour in stark contrast to Alistravia's green and gold.

"my dear priest you are barley a blip on my auspex and I do not care about your... status" Alistravia said with clear contempt for the man "in his day my father himself would of struck you down for you disrespect of me, in fact I daresay you are lucky it is Roboute who returned first and not Leaman or the lion because they would of struck you down for such insolence, is that not true brother?"

Guilliman nodded and spoke.

"I would suggest a politer tone priest or I may have to step in, you may find her tone insulting but remember she is still a primarch and you owe her some modicum of respect"

A soundless gasp game from the priests mouth who took a moment before answering.

"the trial will not be to the death, victory will go to the one who yields first"

"very well then" Alistravia said stepping forward "Gigas may I borrow your hammer?"

"or course mother" he said and tossed her the hammer

She snatched it out of the air with ease and rested it against her shoulder. Celestine stepped forward and drew her sword, her wings extended slightly. They stood a few feet apart and regarded each other.

"Gigas calls this hammer "atom smasher" because when it hits something it splits it's atoms into a million pieces so if you have anything to say, say it now because I am not going to stop once I begin" Alistravia spoke with condescension

"You abandoned the emperors side and left the imperium, you have no place her and as his servant I will cast you out" Celestine responded

Alistravia shrugged and smiled at the living saint.

"if you say so"

Then before Celestine could even react Alistravia swung the hammer down from her shoulder and hit the living saint in the side, to many watching time seamed to freeze as the hammer made contact with the saint. She had not reacted, unable to keep up with the speed of a primarch and the hammer caught her with enough force that when time seamed to resume she was thrown into the great stone walls. Her shoulder and wings hit first and the rock cracked under the force, she fell straight down after into the crowd of battle sisters who parted to give the saint space.

A few seconds later she came flying from the crowd at Alistravia sword pointed at her but she stepped aside expecting to be able to grab the saint she found she couldn't and Celestine looped over in the air and connected a kick knocking Alistravia stumbling back a few feet.

"not bad for a mutant, there was some force behind that kick" Alistravia responded as Celestine landed "I see now why you were able to would Ezekyle, you are quite capable but there is a vast difference between an astartes and a primarch"

Celestine readied her sword and struck forward, Alistravia swung the hammer for ward but did not connect this time as Celestine dived inside the attack and hit Alistravia in the chest knocking her back again. In response Alistravia grabbed her arm as she came in to attack again and swung her over her shoulder into the ground cracking the marble floor, the saint quickly recovered before Alistravia could bring the hammer down on her and hit her in the side knocking her away from the hammer that was wedged in the floor.

Alistravia stood back up and clapped.

"very good I am impressed, you have enough strength to seriously wound me if I am not careful so shall we do this like respectful fighters and discard our weapons?"

Celestine nodded and threw her sword to near by sister.

"you are not using your full strength against me" Celestine said extending her wings

"I needed to see how strong you were first, I may be weaker than my brothers but as I said before I am a primarch but I will stop pulling my punches if you so wish"

Celestine moved first striking in from the side Alistravia was unable to block it but used the force of the hit to turn herself into a strike on Celestine who was still committed into her original attack and was knocked over.

"My Lord it appears your fabled lost primarch is not so powerful"

Kyros chuckled and the priest looked to him as Guilliman stayed silent.

"Our doctrine was based around building up in strength so the more an enemy attacks the harder we strike back, my mother will Finnish this soon enough"

"My brothers made it a priority to teach me to fight, personally I prefer a good gun but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty and punch someone I suppose" Alistravia said before striking at the saint

Celestine ducked and threw a punch into Alistravia's chest but that was what Alistravia had hoped for. She spun round as she took the hit and kicked Celestine with full force sending her flying backwards. The saint picked her self back up and charged forward and Alistravia charged back and dived forward smashing into the oncoming saint with great force sending both of them sprawling but Alistravia recovered quicker and kneed the saint in the face as she attempted to stand. Blood flew in the air as the saint was knocked back wards on to her back. Celestine stood back up but did not attack, instead she looked over to the priest.

"I yield to the primarch"

"you have not yet been defeated Celestine" he responded

"she has done enough can you not see that?, every time I attack she retaliates harder and sooner or later that retaliation will cause serious harm... her legitimacy is proven"

"you are very wise saint" Alistravia said "you may not of wounded me but what blows you have landed have more than earned my respect" then she extended her hand

Celestine took it without hesitation.

"it is an honour to have fought you"

"does this satisfy you priest?" Alistravia said

The priest was still in shock at the saints capitulation and Guilliman had to nudge him to answer.

"You are victorious, you may enter the holy god emperors chamber"

The sisters had filed out and medical servitors had tended to the injured saint whilst Nev had come down to look over Alistravia, he left and she watched as the doors opened just enough to let her through, she looked to Guilliman as she moved to enter.

"your not coming in?"

"Father only wanted you" was his response

Alistravia looked to Gigas.

"Make sure no one else gets in"

"yes mother" he responded

The inside of the throne room was a horrid mix of incense and machine oil from the cogitators constant working, the corpse of the emperor sat looking at her as if willing her to approach. As she walked forward she found each step harder, the remains of a man she had once called father sat wired to a machine in some some cruel jest to life, as if in some final insult to the creatures in the warp to remain sat on the throne forever denying them their prize.

The bones of the hands were bent as if in his dying throws the emperor had gripped the edges of his throne in great pain and anguish, but was that the pain of death or betrayal. Most of the flesh had rotted away and some of the bone had begun to crumble slightly, in the roof above cables fed down into the great throne making it appear as though some great life support machine once attempted to delay his death.

Alistravia got as close as she dare, in the time when the emperor lived Alistravia would often stay close by her fathers side when she was in his presence, it annoyed him so, the fact that she elevated him to be more like a true father to her rather than just a creator and it had confused him. The man that had found Alistravia on Estrella had raised her making him her true father, just because he was not of her blood that did not matter because he had taken care of her but Alistravia had seen the emperor in a similar light wanting him to show care and emotion not just for her but for the others.

That had never happened but Alistravia had brought him close sometimes by frustrating him with logical points that forced him on occasions to admit to some form of paternal feeling but never once had he admitted any feelings of affection to her.

Alistravia smiled to her self and lowered to one knee and closed her eyes, she gave the corpse it's space in her show of respect and for a moment she could swear she was crying, that was until the waves crashed close by and the salty sea spray was blown on to her face. She opened her eyes and found her self on a beach beside tall white cliffs, in the distance a familiar figure in golden armour stood looking out upon the ocean. The beach was mostly shale and pebbles, no life could be seen apart from herself and the emperor who did not look in her direction and kept staring out into the ocean. She eventually reached him and stood beside his towering form.

"Direct psychic feed into my brain stimulating my senses to allow me to accept this illusion as reality" she stated

"Must you analyse everything Alistravia?" The master of mankind said without looking at her

"old habits" she responded

She stood quiet for a few minutes looking out at the ocean like her father.

"I am sorry father"

The emperor turned his head to look at her.

"why?"

Alistravia took a deep breath letting the cool sea air fill her lungs.

"I should never of abandoned you so quickly, I should of waited and kept and eye on the others maybe then... Ferrus and Sanguinius would still be alive"

"No Alistravia" he said interrupting her "do not put the blame on yourself, I was blind and did not see what was happening, I let my need to protect humanity and help them evolve get in the way..., and because of that I lost my greatest son"

For a moment there appeared to be genuine sorrow in the emperors eyes but it was chased away by the crash of the waves. There was silence again for a few minutes until Alistravia spoke.

"they worship you as a god now, how is that for irony, all those years spent removing the cancer of religion from the galaxy only to wind up as the deity of one"

"your first thought is to destroy it then?" the master of mankind began saying " you can not, it is too deeply rooted and it would destroy the imperium if you were to try and abolish it, no that can not happen yet but another way is possible to restore the imperium to it's once and former glory, although it would take many years... which is why I need you Alistravia"

"Does Roboute know of this plan?" she asked picking up a smooth pebble and tossing it into the ocean

"he is part of it just as you are and he has his role as lord commander and now you must have yours" he said looking down upon her

She looked back up into his eyes and saw as she always had, the cold gaze of powerful man.

"I don't think the imperium needs an ambassador right now and I am no praetorian, all I can offer is my legion and my technology"

"you are right the imperium needs no ambassador and Rogal will return eventually as will the others..., no what the imperium needs right now is leadership not simply militarily but someone to unite the people, it needs an emperor"

Alistravia took another deep breath and nodded her head from side to side.

"well I suppose we could try to clone you a body to re-enter but I have seen your genetic structure and it is somewhat...unique, but I like a challenge"

"cloning me would be impossible even for you" The emperor responded

"then why did you even suggest it?" Alistravia asked

"I did not, you as always leapt forward without looking"

"I hope you understand the irony of that statement" Alistravia responded sharply

"what I understand is that you hid yourself away for ten millennia so you could escape responsibility and truly where did it get you?" The emperor shot back

Alistravia stood in silence and then started laughing.

"what is so funny?" the emperor asked

"the fact that even now after all this time our first response is to shout at each other, perhaps that's my fault for not listening but you could never stop yourself from taking the bait and neither could I, perhaps that is the truth behind all our fall outs, perhaps had all twenty of us spent time listening to each other we would be united instead of fractured and the imperium would of remained in it's golden age forever"

The emperor looked out across the ocean.

"when I talked about an emperor I did not mean myself, I can not be that again, not right now... but you could could act as empress until I can find away back"

Alistravia looked at him expecting his face to be in jest, her father was not known for making jokes but he had at times surprised her by teasing her about certain things. Something her brothers had suggested he had not done with them, but his face was serious and his eyes set with an authoritative tone.

"be serious father you know they would never accept me even a steward of the throne, like Roboute said until several months ago they did not even know I existed and this ecclesiarchy would not like to have an unbeliever watching over the throne... it would scare to think what I could do with that power"

The emperor nodded in response.

"that is exactly why you need to become empress, you may not like religion but you do understand it's power and reach and thus can control it, rein in those who abuse it to further increase their power" The emperor paused to allow a moment of thought for Alistravia " Alistravia" he continued "the degradation of the imperial truth has caused the rot of corruption to spread far and wide giving rise to those who think they can run the imperium for their own agendas, you must become empress if only to remind them of their place but you are right in saying they will not just accept you which is why you will need to prove your worth by giving them hope... you can not sit on the throne and command you must do so from the front"

"but why not Roboute? He was the master of five hundred worlds and as a simple caretaker of the throne my power would be limited" Alistravia asked still thinking this was some grand joke of the emperor

"Because he excels as a warrior and a military leader, he must lead from the front with you and push back the tide of destruction and unite the people by making them see the truth of things through your actions" the emperor responded

"how do you intend to return? And I may need to do something's that will be frowned upon by the high lords are you sure they will accept that because even with my technology I don't have all the answers and I can't fix the imperium...only you can and without you it is lost" Alistravia said now realizing the seriousness of her fathers request

"You must continue what I started daughter, guide humanity away from the self destruction that befell the Eldar, It may be many centuries before I am able to find a way back and I will but until then the imperium must have a strong leadership and it starts with you and Roboute

Alistravia starred at her father for a while pondering, the idea of having control of the imperium was a tantalizing prospect and she would achieve what Horus never could without firing a single shot in rebellion even if it was only temporary. She remembered the master of the Luna Wolves once saying that despite him being the favoured son it would be her who would rule the imperium one day and not him, how right he was.

"what about you?"

"I will still be here watching and keeping the astronomican alive until I can return"

Alistravia looked out at the ocean one last time.

"how do you know they will obey me?"

"they see me as a god and as a god I will tell them to accept you" The emperor responded

"and how do you intend to do that?"

"like this" the emperor said and placed both his hands on Alistravia's shoulders and then he exploded in light.

Alert sirens were blaring and serfs could be heard yelling from afar. Lord Voldus come running into the hall stumbling from the pain pushing into his skull. He managed to move over to where Guilliman and the others were waiting for Alistravia. The ground began to shake and Sankara bent over clutching his head.

"what's going on!" shouted Guilliman

"a massive psychic event is feeding it's way into everything, the whole system is experiencing some kind of upload" Voldus responded

"It's not just this system, it's every imperial system in the whole galaxy" Sankara said as he regained some composure

"how do you know?" Gigas asked

"because I can feel them brother" he responded

"you can feel entire star systems?" Voldus questioned

"Sankara is quite powerful" Kyros responded

"Its not my power it's the psychic backwash feeding through, I think whatever is happening is allowing me to feel it" Sankara said

"that is a discussion for later" Guilliman said "we need to get inside and make sure Alistravia is ok"

Voldus pressed the controls for the door but they would not respond.

"we will have to do it the old fashioned way you three grab that door" Guilliman said pointing to Gigas, Kyros and Voldus

Guilliman grabbed the other door and they began to pull it open but it could barley move.

"let me try something" Sankara said and focused on the doors

he placed his hands forward flat to represent the doors then he began to pull them apart and the doors themselves began to open until they were able to pass through them. They slammed shut as Sankara stepped through and let his hold on the doors snap.

Inside they bore witness to Alistravia floating in front of the emperors corpse, tiny particles were trickling from the remains into Alistravia, Gigas went to grab here.

"no Gigas don't, she is in some kind of communion with the emperor" Sankara stated

Then there was a loud boom and the room shook with such force even Guilliman had to steady himself and then a wave of light passed over them but it didn't stop there.

In space and warp space a huge explosion of light occurred blasting out in a spherical wave. Every planet and star system, every ship weather they be xenos, traitor, loyal or rouge and every human in the galaxy was told by the master of mankind himself, here is your new emperor, obey her...

The throne room had stopped shaking as the three knights of Estrella, lord Voldus and Guilliman recovered, they saw Alistravia stood in front of her fathers corpse and she turned around to face them. Instantly without need of a word from Alistravia or even at her command they each fell to one knee and bowed their heads because they knew who she was now, they had been told and so had the entire galaxy.

Guilliman drew the emperors sword and held it out to Alistravia who walked over to him and he bowed his head but held the sword out further for her to take.

"the sword is yours lord commander I have no need for it now rise please brother besides I am only caretaker of the throne"

She walked over to her sons and smiled.

"Rise all of you, I will not tolerate such respect from those who I care for so deeply"

Guilliman walked over and she turned to him.

"what are your orders Empress?"

"Kyros take the fleet and leave the Pequad and a few escorts as I need them but take every other ship and stop Ezekyle and his black crusade from advancing any further" She turned to her brother "Lord commander take what warriors you need and take back every world you can"

"By your command" Kyros responded and headed off with Guilliman

"Gigas in the absence of Rogal you are praetorian, update the defences and try to make it look like a palace again... I don't want a fortress staring back at me anymore"

"what about the fists and the custodians?" Gigas asked

"until Rogal shows his face you are in command of the defences"

"yes mot...Empress" Gigas said and stomped off

"And what is my role to be?" Sankara asked

"You my oldest friend will be given a role but patience as we will have to upset some other people first, Lord Voldus" she said turning to him

"your will?" he asked still on one knee

"there is much I don't know yet about this dark imperium, you will assist me in catching up"

"Of course"

She turned back to Sankara.

"Have Velar begin documenting all history from when we left, tell him to come see me when he has any... advice" Sankara began to walk away but stopped when Alistravia spoke again "oh and where is Kalia?"

"I will find her for you" he responded hesitantly

She looked at him curiously.

"you have something to say old friend?"

"I know you see her as a representation of all that is wrong but maybe don't be too hard on her" The equerry said

"You always did know what to say and when, I understand, send her to me when you find her I'll be on the Pequad"

"doing what?" Voldus asked

"I am going to have a conversation with the high lords and then I will need to join the war properly but first I must travel to Baal secudus and medusa to pay my respects"

When Kalia walked in Alistravia was sat at her dinning table with a steaming pile fish and potatoes. She dropped to one knee and spoke.

"Empress it is a pleasure to be in your presence"

"take a seat and don't be so formal, I am only looking after the throne" Alistravia responded

Kalia climbed into the seat opposite but Alistravia motioned her to sit down next to her.

"Kalia I have need for someone to record meetings and such that I will have to now regularly host and attend, because of that I will need an experienced script recorder and documenter which you are so you will be serving me closely, I have already found you quarters here aboard the Pequad until the wing of the palace I will be using has been refitted"

"Surly there are better people for this job than me?" she asked

"Maybe but then those people are not descendants of my son" Alistravia responded before taking the large spoon and stirring the pot "this was always Carin's favourite and we used to eat together a lot..." she put several spoonfuls on hers and Kalia's plate "now tell me more about yourself..."

Abbadon's mood had grown extremely dark. A warrior whose armour was covered in the skin of a dead loyalist approached.

"it is confirmed war-master, the second legion have returned and the water maiden is now Empress... although it appears she is more of a steward" he said hesitantly

"you have more to tell me and in the mood I am in I would not recommend hesitation" Abbadon said glaring at the black legionnaire

"war-master the second legion is much larger than it used to be, hundreds of thousands of them have been deployed along with Guilliman's ultramarines and other loyalist chapters we have lost several worlds already and the Estrellan warships were able to severe damage to our fleets through several well orchestrated ambushes, we are being pushed back and our losses are too numerous to count"

"halt the advance!" Abbadon said angrily

"but my lord should we not continue on, they can not defend every world, surely you are not so scared of the 2nd legions return as to halt our great crusade"

"YOU FOOL" Abbadon screamed picking up the legionnaire and slamming him into a wall "the 2nd legions doctrine is based on retaliation, the more we attack, the more we lose now halt the advance and tell our warriors to dig in where they can before we lose everything!" Abbadon dropped the marine who nodded his confirmation

"and what do we do about the water maidens new position"

"we wait and watch, Alistravia knows me as well as I know her... this will be interesting"


End file.
